General Inquiries from the Public

For general questions about the procedures for obtaining and

maintaining a registration, callers may telephone the Trademark Assistance Center (TAC) at

(571) 272-9250 or (800) 786-9199, or email TAC at TrademarkAssistanceCenter@uspto.gov. See

TMEP

§108.02

for more information regarding TAC.

However, USPTO employees may not:

conduct trademark searches for the public

(

see

TMEP

§104

);

comment on the validity of registered marks

(

see

TMEP §1801

);

answer questions as to whether a particular mark or

type of mark is eligible for registration;

offer legal advice or opinions about a mark’s

eligibility for registration, common-law trademark rights, state registrations, or

trademark infringement claims; or

aid in the selection of a private trademark attorney

or search firm (

37 C.F.R.

§2.11(a)

).

For a legal opinion about a trademark matter, a party must

consult a private U.S.-licensed trademark attorney. The USPTO cannot aid in the selection

of an attorney.

37 C.F.R. §2.11(a)

. To find the names of private

attorneys who are licensed to practice law in the U.S. and handle trademark matters,

consult telephone listings or the internet, or contact the attorney referral service of a

U.S. state or local bar association (see the American Bar Association’s Consumers’ Guide to

Legal Help). Information about selecting a U.S.-licensed trademark attorney is also

available on the USPTO website.

See

TMEP §104

regarding trademark search

systems.

See

TMEP

§1806

regarding contacts with third parties about ex parte

matters.

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